The new news 24 thread

[MrDuke]

New shite has arrived!! Again!! It's all one colour!! It hasn't got any dents!! Or rust!! Why am I so excited to have a shiny car that works properly!!!

[Shep Shepherd]

TV2's replacement wheels have arrived at work. I'll be going to collect them tomorrow morning. I intend clean them up and fit them in the afternoon if the weather isn't too wet

 

Also managed to polish The Volvo's paint with some Mer I had lying around, in order to augment the Color Magic I used on it last week. Autoglymmed the bumpers and trim, too:

 

 

I'm sure that it's wondering why it's been polished twice in as many weeks; because I love it and because it's coming to Shitefest with me

 

All in all, the next few days are shaping-up to be quite Volvoish

[Micrashed]

Did someone mention midlife crisis?

 

Its 3 years since I mashed my left arm (and right wrist too) in one of lifes "tarmac/sky/tarmac/sky/tarmac/ambulance" incidents and Im still having physio on my left arm and shoulder yet today I put a deposit on this:-

 

 

750cc's of Yamaha comfort and joy. Yes I know its a custom, but Im built like one of those American refrigerators and sports bikes just dont fit me. NOW, I have to tell the wife.

 

I suspect these will become a purse when she finds out

[Cavcraft]

New shite has arrived!! Again!! It's all one colour!! It hasn't got any dents!! Or rust!! Why am I so excited to have a shiny car that works properly!!!

 

Haha, what is it this time?

 

 

Micrashed: You have text message.

[MrDuke]

 

 

Tomorrow, weather permitting, I shall be making with the G3 and wax. And possibly with the linseed oil, although that might have to wait until my arms have recovered. Once the important stuff is done, I shall be buying a huge tin of waxoyl and pouring it everywhere. Apart from the front valance, there is absolutely zero rust, anywhere, not even a bit of brown staining. I R quite happy now

[eddyramrod]

That's really tidy! Well done! And Angry Dicky: also well done, that looks like a good buy too. Apart from pressing the Granada into daily use I have no car news but you guys are making up for it.

[trigger]

That does looks smart Duke, but it's no Fiesta!

 

I ordered my axle bushes for the Cortina yesterday and the sellers sent them straight out, He accepted my cheeky offer and even posted then 1st recorded after a asked if i could have them quickly, really nice guy which is refreshing for ebay.

 

Now i just hope they arrive by Friday and my mechanic can fit it in, he needs to change the bushes and split the 2 piece propshaft and fit the doughnut before i can collect it and get it home to clean and pack it, Fingers crossed it all goes to plan if not it will be shitfest in the Golf, which my be no bad thing if the weather is shite...

[Cavcraft]

Ooh, that is nice chief.

[dollywobbler]

Fingers crossed for you Trig, even if the Cortina's a bit nice really. S'pose you could always drive into a few things on the way and fit mis-matched wheels or something.

[trigger]

I wouldn't say it's that nice, it has it's fair share of dents and aerosol repairs!

[Lankytim]

Stuck the new backbox onto the wife's Astra, got some wire for the (gasless) mig and it all went very well. I'll get a proper estate exhaust next time though!

[MrDuke]

Fez must go on eBay methinks - it pains me to put a car on there, but otherwise it'll be gracing the front of my house for months on end. I shall doubtless lose even more money on it, but hey, you live and learn.

[Shep Shepherd]

Took delivery of TV2's replacement wheels this morning:

 

 

They have been the subject of a not very good refurb some time ago, but still look far better than the ones they replaced and have almost new tyres on the front pair - the rears are borderline legal and will be replaced with new ones at some point next week. Here's the worst of the old wheels versus the best of the replacement wheels:

 

 

Not bad at all. Also, because the tyres on the replacement wheels are bigger than the ones on the old wheels (205/55R15 as opposed to 195/60R15), the car looks a bit more purposeful. Here's a very flattering photo of it looking like it's five years old:

 

 

Next job will be to replace the ABS ECU in order to stop the ABS and TRACS lights coming on every time that I drive the car, which is highly annoying.

[sporty-shite]

After the 156 finally selling (for a pitifully small amount) Mrs S has been undecided about what she wants to replace it with.

 

Today, she made a decision. She wants a Beetle. Not sure how I feel about this, but at least it's not something properly boring. Might have to have a sticker made for it "I am not a hairdresser!"

 

Better news is, I've found a fairly cheap one just near here, so I'm going for a look tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

[cobblers]

You know, as much as I want to slate these new beetles, I've been inside a few and they were alright places to be. A hell of a lot like being in a decent spec Lupo, and I have very fond memories of mine.

I'd guess they are basically MK4 golfs underneath so parts shouldn't be hard to find or all that expensive. Just don't put whitewall flaps and "53" stickers on it and you'll be alright.

[Lord Sterling]

Today I went to a mates house to pick up some wheels. I bought them as they were available with good fitted tyres at a good price and ready to use, they look like these:

 

 

I got them to use on my White 825 Sterling so I can get it out and move it around as I'd like to access the boot and sort out some parts I stored in there sometime ago. I cant access the boot due to the amount of crap in there that belongs to the lad renting me the garage, plus the wheels were ALOT cheaper than buying new tyres.

 

Whilst at my mates house, he helped me fit a new drivers side window motor as the old one didnt let the window go down at a certain level, after a lot of jiggery pokery we go tthe motor fitted and the window was happily going up and down just as it should do:

 

 

Of course this meant the removal of the window itself but it was interesting to see how it was put together.

 

Now, for the first time since I've owned mk1 800s, I've actually got 4 working electric windows

 

Next on the list:

 

A service

Leather interior clean up

Change the insulation that got wet after the cabin leak

Change the steering wheel (already sourced a black one)

Fit bottom lip to front bumper

Possibly try and fit the multi-CD changer

[eddyramrod]

I've been arguing with myself over whether this belongs here or in Grin; as you can see, I won.

 

I have now booked the flights.

 

I've also booked a rental car for 4 weeks, until mine arrives. Roll on September.

[M'coli]

^^^ Spiffing news, Eddie, Spiffing.

[fiatdaft]

Bring some sunshine !

[Lord Sterling]

Great news Eddy. Where will you be touching down?

[mk1_4dr]

2 bits of news.

 

Firstly, its home.

 

 

Secondly, it didn't quite go to plan

 

[HillmanImp]

Why? (as in what went wrong)

 

Other than running out of fuel (shut up Volksy)

[eddyramrod]

Great news Eddy. Where will you be touching down?

 

Thanks guys.... Sunny Romantic Manchester is where the plane drops us, then we pick up a Chevrolet Cruze (or similar, no specific model can be guaranteed etc) to play with for a month. As long as it'll carry two people, luggage and a wheelchair, it'll do. Should arrive at Barrow Travelodge before midnight (and that's another booking I still need to make...). Over the next day or two pick up the house keys, then on Friday or Saturday the dog should arrive. After that I really need some sort of garage or shed into which I can unload the container. And then that's it, we are Brits again.

[mk1_4dr]

You may scoff, but we ran out juice not 500yards from the yard. In the middle of a busy-ish junction, around the corner from the police stopping cars to dip tanks and such.

Then the battery went flat, in the middle of the junction.

But once it was up and running it was sweet as, until we hit the long drag upto the Saddleworth turn off then the mass pinking and temp gauge rising conspired to tell me it was time for a rest on the hardshoulder.

Some more water in it and it was good to go, but I quickly noticed a fairly hefty stutter underload, fine reving up in neutral, but try and accelerate up a hill and its all over the place. I'm hoping a new fuel filter will cure it, we shall see.

 

Other than that theres just the small issue of the headlights not working, like at all. Sidelights, yes, but headlights? Nada.

 

I'll have a proper look at it tomorrow...

[mk1_4dr]

Great news Eddy. Where will you be touching down?

 

Thanks guys.... Sunny Romantic Manchester is where the plane drops us, then we pick up a Chevrolet Cruze (or similar, no specific model can be guaranteed etc) to play with for a month. As long as it'll carry two people, luggage and a wheelchair, it'll do. Should arrive at Barrow Travelodge before midnight (and that's another booking I still need to make...). Over the next day or two pick up the house keys, then on Friday or Saturday the dog should arrive. After that I really need some sort of garage or shed into which I can unload the container. And then that's it, we are Brits again.

 

Thats awesome news Eddy, properly, great. I certainly look forward to meeting you at some point.

[HillmanImp]

You may scoff, but we ran out juice not 500yards from the yard.

 

Is that not the normal distance from fuel radius for one of these? Send me a PM, would love to pop over and see this mofo.

[Pete-M]

I have to say, the Chrysler is pretty epic. Definitely ÜberShite®

 

The headlining is my favourite bit.

[vulgalour]

Congratulations Eddy, and to Mk1_4dr.

[meshking]

I sold a car! first time I've sold a car over £1k, got £200 more than my real bottom line (which was average price through BCA). Now my "daily" driver is a 1975 2cv. As restored by me. Eek! I say "daily" because the majority of the time I go to work by train or plane, so it's more of a "take stuff to the tip" car.

[barrett]

Dave, you live in an amazing building! Also the Cry-sler is nice. Are you coming to Shitefest btw?